Today, American Bridge 21st Century released a new ad targeting markets with large Ukrainian-American populations in key swing states highlighting Republican attacks on Ukraine and their support for Russian despot Vladimir Putin.
You can see a copy of the ad running in papers across three states here:
The ads include quotes from Republican Senate candidates Ted Budd and JD Vance, Donald Trump, and 2024 presidential hopeful Mike Pompeo. The five figure ad buy is running in four print outlets in markets with high Ukrainian-American populations in key battleground states — Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia. The ad is running this week in Hudson Hub Times, Monroe Evening News, Burlington County Times, and the Doylestown Intelligencer.
“Republicans at every level — from Donald Trump to their Senate candidates — have gone on the record to belittle Ukraine and Ukrainians and to praise war criminal Vladimir Putin. It’s disgusting and it’s wrong,” said American Bridge President Jessica Floyd. “While Putin is waging an unjust and unprovoked war and killing innocent civilians, Americans are united behind President Biden’s strong leadership in this crisis. American Bridge is ensuring that voters in swing states understand what’s at stake in these upcoming elections — and whose side Republicans are on.”
BACKGROUND
JD Vance Said US Leaders Shouldn’t Be “Distracted” By Russian Invasion into Ukraine: “Our Leaders Should Focus On Our Own Border, Not The Ukrainian Border, Not The Russian Border. Let Those People 6,000 Miles Away Deal With That.” “I think we can only focus on so many things at once. Instead of being distracted by what’s going on in Ukraine and Russia, we should be worried about the safety and security of our own people. And so our leaders should focus on our own border, not the Ukrainian border, not the Russian border. Let those people 6,000 miles away deal with that. Our leaders should be focused on our problems right here at home.” [WLIO News Journal First Edition, 2/23/22]
JD Vance Said It’s “Ridiculous” That The Us Is Focused On Ukraine: “I’m Sick Of Joe Biden Focusing On The Border Of A Country I Don’t Care About.” I think it’s ridiculous that we’re focused on this border in Ukraine. I don’t. I got to be honest with you. I don’t really care what happens to Ukraine one way or another. I do care about the fact that in my community right now, the leading cause of death among 18 to forty-five-year-olds is Mexican fentanyl. All that’s coming across the southern border. I’m sick of Joe Biden focusing on the border of a country I don’t care about. [CNN, 2/22/20]
Mike Pompeo Said Europe Needs To Take Action First Against Russia And “Put Their Boys And Girls At Risk Before Ours” “Europe needs to do the right thing to defend itself. I was sitting with President Trump when we spoke to them about their need to put their boys and girls at risk before ours.” [KCCI-DM (CBS) 2/24/22]
Ted Budd Defended Trump Calling Putin “Pretty Smart” At Mar-A-Lago: “He’s A Very Intelligent Actor… He Is Intelligent. So, We Have To Treat Him As Such.” REPORTER: Budd has the backing of former President Trump. He was at an event at mar-a- lago last week as the invasion began where trump called Putin “pretty smart.” REPORTER: Did you agree with that did you think that was appropriate? TED BUDD: Well, you have to look at it two ways. One is good and bad. I would say Putin is evil, but that doesn’t mean he’s not smart. He’s a very intelligent actor, although I would say he’s been quite erratic in this approach to Ukraine. It was very predictable what he would do, but at the same time, Putin is evil. He’s an international thug. But, he is intelligent. So, we have to treat him as such.” [WNCT (CBS), 2/28/22]
Ted Budd Claims Biden Raising Alarm About Ukraine Invasion Is “Old Wag The Dog Strategy” To Avoid Talking About Durham Reports. “But this really looks like the old Wag the dog strategy, a total distraction for the American people. And I think, look, we’ve been looking for this since twenty sixteen. And bottom line, if the Democrats are blaming somebody for it, like they’ve been doing for four years to Donald Trump, then it’s actually what they’re doing. And with this John Durham report coming out, we actually see it now. We see that Clinton lied and her campaign spied. And it’s it’s an absolute tragedy. And we have to hold them accountable. That’s what we have to win the US house. We have to win the US Senate. It’s why I’m running, because we want to hold these people accountable. [Fox Business: Mornings with Maria, 11/15/22]
###
Published: Mar 23, 2022